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Minolta: Tales of a Forgotten Camera Maker

Today, most of the consumer-grade camera landscape is dominated by less than half a dozen brands. Canon, Sony, and Nikon take the lion’s share in terms of sales and public recognition, while almost all the gaps are filled by smaller companies like Fujifilm and Pentax.

Tamron Opens Up About 3rd-Party Lenses and the Transition to Mirrorless

While attending the CP+ 2023 show in Yokohama, Japan, back in February, I had the opportunity to meet with independent lens manufacturer Tamron. It had been a very long time since my last official contact with them, and a lot has changed over the intervening years. (The last time I attended a formal Tamron event was all the way back in 2015, when they introduced their excellent f/1.8 wide-angle primes.)

Why Pentax Has Failed at Mirrorless Cameras

Over the last decade, mirrorless camera technology has evolved to the point that it's now a welcome technology for many photographers and filmmakers. Although, along the way, it's not been an easy ride for the big mirrorless camera brands. User sentiment, Japanese earthquakes, the pandemic, and newer technology adoption have all taken their toll, leading to spot fires in the manufacturing process and camera uptake.

Is Nikon Caught in a Perfect Storm?

It's no secret that Nikon has been having a tough time financially -- a result of an over-reliance on its Imaging Division -- and has been implementing a medium-term strategy to help balance the books and foster long-term growth. Results from its Imaging Division suggest it is struggling and possibly caught in a perfect storm.

GNARBOX May Be Dead, So Buyer Beware

GNARBOX appears to be dead. The company behind the popular rugged backup device has seemingly gone dark, leaving customers without support and turning the product into an expensive portable drive with no extra functionality.

Light Ends Its Multi-Camera Dreams of Revolutionizing Photography

Back in 2015, a stealthy startup company called Light made a splash in the photo industry by announcing a point-and-shoot camera called the L16 that featured a whopping 16 separate cameras across its face. Fast forward half a decade, and now Light is no longer working to revolutionize photography at all.

Sony Should Split From Its Sensor Business: Investor

One of Sony's crown jewels in its empire is its image sensor business, which dominates global market share and has helped the company hit record profits. But now a famous investor is calling for Sony to spin-off the sensor business into a completely independent company.

Google Suspends Huawei’s Android Support After US Blacklist

If you've been eyeing Huawei's latest P30 Pro smartphone and its ISO 409600 low-light capabilities, you should know that there's major trouble brewing for the brand due to a the US government blacklisting it. Google has reportedly suspended its business with Huawei, including dropping Android support.

Canon and Nikon Imaging Sales Drop 17%+ Over Past Year

Canon and Nikon both published their latest financial reports over the past couple of weeks, and the numbers don't paint a rosy picture for the camera industry. Both companies reported a decline in imaging business sales of around 17% over the previous year.

Kodak Film Business on Brink of Being Sold: Report

Big news in the world of film photography: the Kodak film business is reportedly up for sale. Kodak Alaris is said to be looking to sell part or all of its business, and its film business, in particular, could be sold to another company within the next month or two.

Photo Chemistry Giant Tetenal Closing Shop After 172 Years: Report

In late 2018, it emerged that Tetenal, one of the largest photo chemistry companies in the world, was in serious financial turmoil. It now appears that efforts to save the business have failed, and Tetenal will reportedly be closing up for good after a whopping 172 years in the analog photography industry.

Is GoPro Failing as a Company?

Almost every year, GoPro releases a new action camera, and for the last few years, they’ve been pretty disappointing. Also, every year I seem to fall for their marketing and buy one of their action cameras only to lament that decision. I understand it’s my fault, I should know better. Clearly, I’m operating with heaps of wishful thinking.

Tetenal is in Trouble: One of the Largest Photochemical Firms Needs Your Help

Here's some big news in Europe that hasn't made a big splash in the US and has largely flown under our radar: the very day after Photokina, Tetenal announced that it's in financial turmoil. Tetenal is one of the largest photochemical businesses in the world and produces chemicals for brands like Ilford and Kodak.

Was the Fujifilm GFX a Mistake? Should Fuji Have Gone Full-Frame Instead?

Of all the current camera manufacturers, if you were to call me a fanboy of any of them, Fujifilm would be the most accurate. There’s good reason too: it produces some of the best cameras on the market and its commitment to offering meaningful updates, after the fact, is uniquely wonderful.

A Tour of the Cartoni Tripod Factory

Johnnie Behiri of cinema5D recently visited the Cartoni tripod factory in Rome, Italy. The 11.5-minute video above is a behind-the-scenes look at how the famous tripods are made by a small team at the family company.

A Brief History of Kodak: The Rise and Fall of a Camera Giant

Kodak was once the 800-pound gorilla in the world of photography. But after a century of dominance, Kodak's business crumbled and it was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2012. If you'd like to better understand what happened to the iconic brand, watch this great 12-minute video by the popular YouTube channel Company Man.

Casio to Shutter Its Compact Camera Business: Report

Casio point-and-shoot cameras have long been popular among consumers looking for an affordable way to capture memories, but it seems that the rise of smartphones has taken a toll on the brand. The company is now reportedly shutting down the business.

Flickr Has Been Acquired by SmugMug

Huge news in the photo sharing world today: SmugMug just announced that it has acquired Flickr from Yahoo, which was itself acquired by Verizon last year. This deal "will create the most influential photography community in the world," SmugMug says.

Sony CEO Kaz Hirai to Step Down Now That the Ship Has Been Righted

Sony announced today that CEO Kazuo 'Kaz' Hirai will be stepping down from his position on April 1st, 2018. Hirai is credited with reviving Sony's prospects and financials over the past several years, taking the company from a struggling state to newfound dominance in areas such as cameras and imaging sensors.